Abdulamir Jerras (1965-2003) born in Baghdad and graduated from Arabic Language Department , Arts College , University of Baghdad. Jerras proved to be highly effective in Iraqi poetry circles. his first collection ( Poems against the wind) was published in 1993 by Alaan Publications in Baghdad. Jerras was a contemporary of the Iranian and American war and the long years of embargo and economic sanctions that were imposed upon Iraq. Thus he was a true echo of the tormented souls of Iraqis who lived under these circumstances. His writings are short, intense, thoughtful not relying on the aid of poetic phrases or make-up at the same time it often showed intertextuality with what was religious, cultural heritage, political or ideological. the poems were built from every day expressions without being informative or too direct. the period of his flourishing works was under an opposite life line of degrading printing and publication. recently another collection of his work was released under the name (Even if I die), a collection published by Alfil Publishing House in Al-Quds/ Palestine.

forged minutes

I live my life as it were a hobby

or a whim

never quite serious

in 1995 I entered my 30s

just like that…

like entering a tavern.

The teacher's space

what I have learned by heart

will not fill in the blanks.

Here I am

flunking

and claiming

that existence is simply a tree

a bunch of leaves.

Autumn is the teacher

that won’t fail you,

but since you lie beneath the tree

the teacher

cannot be Autumn

the teacher is

all that lies beyond the blackboard

the wind that counts on your fingers,

the chalk,

all that happens on the blackboard

that is wiped away.

Sir!

all those extra lessons count for nothing

they simply add one more finger, a finger

that, I think, might remain raised...forever.

How many fingers are left?

And what will remain then, teacher,

no teacher but the wind?

I crawl like a centipede

from classroom to classroom

leaving a raised finger...

and an exclamation mark.

the texts were translated by Amal Ibrahim and revised by English Poet George Szirtes